Van Wijk Street Animal Hospital recorded three snakebites among its four-legged patients in the week leading up to March 13 alone.

Dr Donnie Engelbrecht said that, luckily, all three dogs pulled through with only minor complications along the way. They are not always this fortunate, though.

Although there have been cases in the past in which other animals suffered snakebites, dogs are usually the ones to arrive at their doorstep, said Engelbrecht.
Treating snakebites with antivenom is not cheap and he said in cases like these it might be good to invest in a medical aid for your dog.

Depending on the severity of the snakebite, anything between one and four vials of antivenom might be needed to treat the patient, with one vial costing anything between R1 500 and R2 000.

The hospital made a list of tips for preventing snakebites:
• Keep your dog on a lead and always keep a sharp lookout
• Don’t let your dog
poke his snout in holes or under logs
• Call or pull your dog away if he is curious or pawing at something
• If you spot a snake,
stop moving and keep your dog still
• If the snake is cornered, make sure to back away and give it an escape route.

The eight snakes Lowvelders should be most wary of are the puff adder, black mamba, Mozambique spitting cobra, snouted cobra, rhombic night adder, boomslang, southern stiletto snake and the vine snake.
Although Engelbrecht mentioned that the hospital had some difficulty procuring more antivenom, he assured locals that they have always managed to and will make a plan should a crisis arise. Some less severe snakebites can also be treated with alternative methods.

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Should your pet get bitten by a snake, you need to get it to the vet as soon as possible. The Van Wijk Animal Hospital can be reached on 013-744-1836 or 082-441-7084 (emergencies or after hours).
You can also phone your security company for assistance should you find a snake in your home.

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The hospital recommended local snake catcher, Chris Hobkirk, as another option. He can be reached on 082-372-3350.